SOMETHING BORROWED,
SOMETHING 90% DARK
Bean to Bar Mysteries, #6
by
Amber Royer
Cozy Culinary Mystery
Publisher: Golden Tip Press
Date of Publication: September 12, 2023
Number of Pages: 288 pages
Scroll down for a Giveaway!
Felicity Koerber’s bean-to-bar chocolate shop on Galveston’s historic Strand is hosting the friends and family coming into town for her best friend Autumn’s wedding. As matron of honor, Felicity has a ton of tasks to complete – including making chocolates for the gift bags. She doesn’t have time to solve another murder. But when one of the bridesmaids becomes a prime suspect in the death of a visiting real estate agent, Felicity has to put her detecting skills to use again to keep the wedding plans from getting derailed.
She’s already nervous about the impending deadline she’s given herself to finally choose between her two love interests – and figuring out where life goes once she makes her choice. But add in a missing Pygmy goat and a new coffee shop that wants to partner with her, and she’s frazzled.
She begins to discover that not everything is as it seems among the wedding guests. Can she handle the wedding preparations, pull off turning her shop into a concert venue, and unmask the killer before anyone else dies?
Y’all! It’s here! The highly-anticipated resolution to the love triangle is finally here! As she promised, Amber Royer made Felicity choose between Logan and Arlo and it’s the best decision ever. Those who have been reading my reviews know I used to root for the other team (see Out of Temper) but A Study In Chocolate and this latest book convinced me to switch sides. My Romance-loving heart totally approves of Felicity’s choice especially when his response to Felicity’s question “Why me, specifically?” is this quote:
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Because you are the sunlight.”
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Readers, I swooned. This guy needs Felicity in ways the other doesn’t. Felicity needs him too. For this romantic element alone, Something Borrowed deserves a high rating. And then there’s the rest of this extremely enjoyable story.
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… my confidence levels have changed.”
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I read this book in one sitting and I recommend other readers to do the same if they have time to spare. As I have come to expect with the Bean-to-Bar cozy mysteries, the action starts from the first page and doesn’t let up until the highly satisfactory ending. As usual, Felicity gets entangled in two separate investigations that involve her love interests and her ever-expanding network of friends. And, of course, there’s a classic novel that serves as inspiration for the murder mysteries – The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett.
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The various searches for a missing insurance investigator, missing pieces of jewelry, a kidnapped goat, and a killer on the loose happen amidst preparations for Felicity’s best friend Autumn’s wedding. Anyone who’s ever been involved in planning a wedding knows how time-consuming and stressful it can be so it’s amazing how expertly Ms. Royer wove in all the myriad details together.
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What’s also fantastic is the growth in Felicity’s character. She’s becoming more accepting of the amateur sleuth role that has been thrust upon her and has gained so much confidence from the experiences she’s been through. All the while continuing to learn about the craft and the business of chocolate-making.
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For its engaging storyline, fascinating characters, well-paced action, balance of angst and humor, and swoony romance, Something Borrowed, Something 90% Dark is my favorite of the series so far.
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Huge thanks to Lone Star Lit for allowing me to be part of this blog tour and to the publisher for providing me a copy to review.
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Amber Royer writes the Chocoverse comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series and the Bean to Bar Mysteries. She is also the author of Story Like a Journalist: A Workbook for Novelists, which boils down her writing knowledge into an actionable plan involving over 100 worksheets to build a comprehensive story plan for your novel. She also teaches creative writing and is an author coach.
Amber and her husband live in the DFW Area, where you can often find them hiking or taking landscape/architecture/wildlife photographs. If you are very nice to Amber, she might make you cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes, of course! Amber blogs about creative writing technique and all things chocolate.
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
TWO WINNERS:
Each receives an autographed paperback copy.
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 9/21/23)
CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE TOUR PAGE
FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY,
or visit the blogs directly:
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09/11/23 |
Playlist |
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09/11/23 |
Review |
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09/11/23 |
BONUS Stop |
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09/12/23 |
Guest Post |
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09/12/23 |
Review |
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09/12/23 |
BONUS Stop |
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09/13/23 |
Top Ten List |
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09/13/23 |
Review |
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09/14/23 |
Scrapbook Page |
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09/14/23 |
Review |
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09/15/23 |
Review |
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09/15/23 |
Review |
blog tour services
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Maida Malby 
I’m so glad you connected with the book! This was such a joyful review, it totally made my day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! It was a fun read. Looking forward to Book 7.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tentatively titled, A Chocolate is Announced, some time in the spring!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exciting! I can’t wait to see what pet and classic novel you’ll feature next.
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